Celtic’s triumph over Barcelona at Parkhead last year was hailed as one of the greatest in the club’s recent history. Now, only a season later, the Hoops find themselves tasked with doing it all over again. The good news for Celtic is that Barcelona still haven’t corrected some of the defensive weaknesses the Scots took advantage of last year, while there's also the bonus of Lionel Messi's absence through injury. The bad news is that Cesc Fabregas, who will take Messi's place, is in sensational form, and new signing Neymar has revolutionised their play on the wings. So how can Celtic do it? Read on for the key battles that could settle the game…

Georgios Samaras v Gerard Pique
Despite Barcelona’s defensive frailties in recent seasons, far from curtailing his frequent runs forward, Gerard Pique is becoming increasingly erratic in his ability to hold his position at the back, and that, combined with a tendency to have lapses in concentration, leaves a clear weakness for opponents to exploit. Celtic are likely to use Georgios Samaras as a battering ram in attack, trying to utilise his strength in the air, and if the Greek is on his game and Pique isn’t, he could get some joy. Pique doesn’t do well when exposed in one-on-one situations these days, so breaking quickly and using Charlie Mulgrew’s passing to get the ball to Samaras while he still has Pique isolated could be a useful tactic.

Virgil van Dijk v Cesc Fabregas
Cesc Fabregas has had his most comfortable start to the season with Barcelona yet, leading their assists chart and showing the kind of leadership and confidence that the club have been looking for from him since he signed. He has done so mainly while playing in midfield however, and tonight, deployed as a false number nine, his role will change slightly. Arguably Celtic’s best all round defender is Virgil van Dijk, with his competence on the ball and composure suggesting he is perhaps best equipped to try and cope with Cesc, but the Dutchman may have to curtail his own tendency to burst forward. While the Barcelona number four will often drop deep and seemingly vacate the centreforward position, Van Dijk can't get lulled into a false sense of security; Cesc will happily thread balls through to Neymar or Pedro who could then break into the space Van Dijk has left in turn, should he be robbed of possession.

Neymar v Mikael Lustig
Swedish defender Mikael Lustig is likely to be the man handed the thankless task of facing up to Neymar tonight, and he certainly has a big job on his hands. The Brazilian’s unorthodox dribbling style and love of hugging the touchline before beating his man in the tightest of spaces makes him a tricky customer, and as a result he has been Barca’s most consistently fouled player in La Liga this season. Lustig, for his part, has 38 Sweden caps under his belt, and more than 40 appearances in European competitions, so he isn’t a novice at this level despite still being only 26. He will need to call upon all of his experience and stay disciplined to avoid being drawn into Neymar’s trap, and Celtic won’t want to leave the fullback on his own with the Brazilian.